The combination of global warming and rising energy costs has renewed people's interest in renewable energy. Water and wind energy rely on using force to turn a turbine that generates electricity, but generating electricity from solar panels is a little more complicated. However, you can create your own solar panels and generate electricity using materials you can find around your house. While this method might not be practical enough to allow you to go "off the grid," it can make

a great science experiment

Instructions
1、Cut the copper sheeting so that it's about the same size as the burner on the stove. Wash your hands and the sheeting to remove any grease or oil and use the sandpaper to remove any corrosion. Clean it thoroughly and let it dry.
2、Put the copper on the burner and turn the burner on to its highest setting. As the copper heats up, different colors will appear, but it will eventually turn black, covered with a coat of cupric oxide. Cook the copper for a half-hour to thicken the coat (it will be easier to remove the layer when it's thicker).
3、Turn the burner off, leaving the sheet on for about 20 minutes so that it cools to room temperature. Most of the cupric oxide coat will have flaked off at this point, but run the copper under water and lightly scrub it with your hands to remove anything that's left. Be careful when handling the copper so you don't damage the layer of red cuprous oxide that makes the solar cell work.
4、Cut another piece of copper the same size as the first one and gently bend both of them. Attach them to the jar with the alligator clip leads but don't let them touch each other.
5、Take the lead of the clip attached to the clean piece of copper and connect it to the positive terminal of the microammeter. Connect the lead of the clip attached to the cuprous oxide plate to the negative terminal.

6、Mix 2 tbsp. of salt into hot tap water and stir it until the salt dissolves. Pour the solution into the jar. Don't get the alligator clips wet, and leave about an inch of space between the clips and the water. Put it in the sun and look at the meter to see how much electricity that it generates.